צלם אלוקים

(14) He would say: Beloved is man, since he is created in the image [of God]. A deeper love - it is revealed to him that he is created in the image, as it says (Genesis 9:6): "for in God's image He made man." Beloved are Israel, since they are called children of the Omnipresent. A deeper love - it is revealed to them that they are called children to God, as it says (Deuteronomy 14:1): "You are children of the Lord, your God." Beloved are Israel, since a precious instrument has been given to them. A deeper love - it is revealed to them that the precious instrument with which the world was created has been given to them, as it says (Proverbs 4:2): "For a good lesson I have given to you; do not forsake my teaching."

How were the Ten Commandments given? Five on one tablet and five on the other. "I am the L rd your G d," and opposite it "You shall not kill," whereby Scripture apprises us that spilling blood is tantamount to "diminishing" the likeness of the King. An analogy: A king of flesh and blood enters a province, sets up statues of himself, makes images of himself, and mints coins in his likeness. After some time, they upset his statues, break his images, devalue his coins — and "diminish" the likeness of the king. Likewise, Scripture equates spilling blood to "diminishing" the likeness of the King, as it is written (Genesis 9:6) "One who spills the blood of man … (For in the image of G d did He make man.") It is written "There shall not be unto you any other gods in My presence," and, opposite it, "You shall not commit adultery," whereby Scripture apprises us that idolatry is tantamount to adultery. As it is written (Ezekiel 16:32) "You are the (very essence of the) adulterous woman, who (though) living with her husband, (still) takes strangers," and (Hoshea 3:1) "And the L rd said again to me: "Go and love a woman beloved by her husband, and playing the harlot under him — just as the L rd loves the children of Israel, while they turn to other gods…" It is written "You shall not take the name of the L rd your G d in vain," and, opposite it, "You shall not steal," whereby we are apprised that one who steals, in the end comes to swear in vain, as it is written (Jeremiah 7:9) "Shall one steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely (… and go after the gods of others, etc.?" And it is written (Hoshea 4:2) "swearing, lying, murdering, stealing, (committing) adultery…" It is written "Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it," and, opposite it, "You shall not testify (falsely)," whereby Scripture apprises us that one who desecrates the Sabbath thereby testifies before Him who spoke and brought the world into being that He did not create His world in six days and did not rest on the seventh day, and that one who keeps the Sabbath thereby testifies before Him who spoke and brought the world into being that He created His world in six days and rested on the seventh day, as it is written (Isaiah 43:10) "You are My witnesses, says the L rd … that I am He. Before Me no god was created and there will be none after Me." It is written "Honor your father and your mother," and, opposite it, "You shall not covet," whereby Scripture apprises us that whoever covets, in the end comes to beget a son who curses his father and honors one who is not his father. This is why the Ten Commandments were given, five on one tablet and five on the other. These are the words of R. Chanina b. Gamliel. The sages say: (They were given) ten on one tablet and ten on the other. As it is written (Devarim 5:19) "These things (the ten commandments) the L rd spoke … And He wrote them on two tablets of stone." And (Song of Songs 4:5) "Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle." And (Ibid. 5:14) ("The tablets of) His hands are wheels of gold, set with emeralds."...

"One who sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall his blood be shed (Genesis 9:6)." Rabbi Hanina says, All of these [instances] are adjudicated according to the Noachide laws: By [the testimony of] one witness, by [the ruling of] one judge, without witnesses and without warning, by means of an agent, by means of [the death of] an embryo. By one witness and one judge, it says, "One sheds the blood of a human, by a human, (singular), shall his blood be shed." Without witnesses and without warning,it says, "One who sheds the blood of a human, by a human shall his blood be shed." By means of an agent, it says, "One who sheds the blood of a human -- his blood shall be shed." By means of [the death of] an embryo, it says, "One who sheds the blood of a human [in a person]." Rabbi Yehudah ben Rabbi Simon says, Even one [who murders] by strangulation, it says, "One who sheds the blood of a human, etc. [in a person]" Rabbi Levi says, Behold one that killed, but was not killed. When will he be killed? When a perso`n comes [for divine judgment], it says, "One who sheds the blood of a human, by a human who comes shall his blood be shed." Rabbi Akiva expounded, Every person who sheds blood, it is as if he has diminished the Image. What is the reason? "One who shed the blood of a human, by a person shall his blood be shed." Why? "Because in the image of God, He made man." (ibid.) Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah expounded, Every person who refrains from procreation, Scripture regards him as having diminished the Image. What is the reason? "Because in the image of God He made humans." And it is written after that, "But you, be fruitful and multiply -- swarm over the earth and multiply." (Ibid. 9:7) Ben Azzai expounded, Everyone who refrains from procreation, Scripture regards it as though he has shed blood and diminished the Image. What's the reason? "One who spills the blood of a human." Why? "Because in God's image." And what's written after that? "But you, be fruitful and multiply." Rabbi Elazar ben Azariah said, Appropriate are the words that issue from the mouth of one who does them. Ben Azzai expounded well, but did not fulfill well. He [Ben Azzai] responded to him, I [act as I do] because my soul craves Torah, but let the world be sustained through others.

(17) When the Holy One, blessed be he, contemplated fashioning man, he said to the Torah: Let us make man (Gen. 1:26). It replied: Master of the Universe, the man You wish to make is of few days, and full of trouble (Job 14:1), and he will sin. If You are not forbearing with him, it would be better that he should not come into the world. He retorted: Is it for nothing that I am described as Slow to anger and plenteous in loving-kindness (Num. 17:18)? Whereupon He began to collect the dust for the body of the first man from the four corners of the earth, so that no one part of the earth might say: “The dust of the body of man is mine.” If he took the dust from the east and the man wished to travel to the west, the earth of the west might say: “The dust of your body did not come from me, I will not welcome you.” Therefore He took the dust from the four corners of the world, so that wherever man traveled the earth would welcome him, as it is written: For dust thou art (Gen. 3:19).

(18) There were twelve hours in that day. During the first hour He collected the dust for the body of man; in the second hour He kneaded the dust of the east and the west together, as it is said: Thou hast hemmed me in behind and before (Ps. 139:4). Behind refers to the west, and before to the east, as is said: Before the east side (Exod. 38:13). The creatures of the earth saw him and feared him. They believed that he was their creator. They came and bowed down before him, and he said to them: “Why do you come to bow before me?” “All of us have come because we have seen all the creatures that the Holy One, blessed be he, has created.” And his heart was filled with wonder. He began to praise and extol his Creator, saying: Oh, how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for those that fear Thee (Ps. 31:20), and also How manifold are Thy works, O Lord (Ps. 104:24). He arose and had the appearance and the likeness of God; he was tall in stature and was clothed with majesty and glory, and he ruled over them for His creator. And they said: The Lord reigneth; he is clothed in majesty (Ps. 93:1).